The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has urged condominium building owners to report illegal activities of foreign dwellers or aliens in their areas.
This, after the Senate Committee on Women, Children, and Family Relations, chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros, revealed that condo units in Metro Manila are being used to house crypto currency scam operations.
In a statement released on Thursday, Immigration Commissioner Norman Tansingco said: “Both local law enforcement agencies and the BI have difficulty simply entering condominiums, as these are residential areas, unlike offices of companies.”
Tansingco warned condo building owners that failure to report such activities could be considered as harboring illegal aliens, which is a criminal offense as per the Philippine Immigration Act of 1940. Violators may face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
“If there are illegal aliens in your vicinity, report them to immigration, or to the local law enforcement agencies. Protectors of aliens doing illegal activities in the country are also liable by law,” he noted.
